In the locker room.
Chema Rico's face was ashen, his gaze lingering on each player's face.
The mixed expression of disappointment and anger made everyone I dare not look directly at it him.
"Is this your performance?"
Chema's voice was low, but it carried suppressed fury.
"Real Madrid Castilla pinned us down for forty-five minutes, and we didn't even have a decent shot!"
Luis Pereya hung his head, sweat dripping down his cheeks onto the floor.
Sergio wiped his forehead with a towel, his movements mechanical and lifeless.
Lu Chuan sat in the corner, his hands clenched into fists.
His knuckles were white from exertion, and veins were clearly visible on the back of his hands.
"But!"
Chema suddenly raised his voice, and everyone looked up at him.
"There are still forty-five minutes left in the game! We still have a chance!"
He walked to the tactics board and drew arrows vigorously on it.
"In the second half, we need to be more proactive! Luis, move your position further forward!"
"Lu Chuan!"
Chema's gaze locked onto Lu Chuan.
"You are the captain, you must step up!"
Lu Chuan, in the corner, stood up. He didn't speak,
but his teammates could feel the aura around him change, like a sword drawn from its sheath.
The system interface quietly appeared in his mind.
"[Detected host's observation and analysis ability improved in a crucial match]"
"[Gained LP: 50]"
"[Decision attribute increased: +2]"
"[Redeemable item: Guaranteed Long Shot Card (Trigger probability: 15%)]"
"[Redeem now?]"
Lu Chuan silently thought: "Redeem."
The moment the redemption was complete, Lu Chuan felt the burning sensation in his lungs recede,
and a light strength surged through his limbs, even his vision became a few shades clearer.
"I know what to do."
Lu Chuan's voice was calm and firm.
Chema nodded, a flicker of relief in his eyes.
"Good! Let's go prove ourselves!"
In the player tunnel, Lu Chuan walked at the front of the team.
His steps were steady and powerful, each one striking the floor with a crisp sound.
His teammates behind him watched his back, their previously low morale beginning to pick up.
The whistle blew again.
The second half began.
Leganés B Team clearly intensified their offense, but Real Madrid Castilla's high press still suffocated them.
Lu Chuan began to cut inside frequently, no longer sticking to the left wing.
His runs became more flexible, sometimes pulling wide to the touchline, sometimes cutting into the middle.
In the fifty-fifth minute, Lu Chuan received the ball in the middle, facing two defenders.
He didn't force a breakthrough but passed the ball to his teammate on the right wing.
Although this pass didn't directly create a threat, it caused a looseness in Real Madrid's defense.
"Keep going! Just like that!"
Chema shouted from the sidelines.
In the sixty-second minute, Lu Chuan cut inside again, this time choosing to force a breakthrough.
He used a feint to shake off the first defender, then accelerated towards the penalty area.
Real Madrid's center-back covered in time, but Lu Chuan's shot still created a threat.
The ball grazed the post and flew out of bounds.
The Leganés fans in the stands gasped.
"So close! Just a little more!"
Miguel excitedly waved his fists on the bench.
The game reached the seventieth minute.
Leganés earned a corner kick.
Luis Pereya stood at the corner flag, took a deep breath, ran up, and kicked.
The ball arced into the penalty area.
Real Madrid's defender leaped high, heading the ball clear.
The ball was headed out of the penalty area, tracing a parabola in the air.
Lu Chuan accurately judged the ball at the top of the arc, quickly moving to where it would land.
Two Real Madrid defenders rushed over like shadows, trying to block his shooting angle.
Time seemed to stand still.
The ball slowly descended in the air, Lu Chuan's right foot already poised for the shot.
Just at this moment, the system's prompt sounded in his mind.
"[Guaranteed Long Shot Card triggered!]"
"[Success rate: 100%]"
Intense light flashed in Lu Chuan's vision.
His body maintained perfect balance during the high-speed confrontation.
His right foot, like a precise machine, contacted the ball at the optimal moment.
Bang!
The ball, in his vision, traced a violent trajectory, with a tearing hum in the air, straight towards the goal.
It ripped through the air, emitting a sharp whistle.
In the Real Madrid goalkeeper's vision, the ball barely spun, turning into a blurry afterimage,
cutting directly into the top corner; he didn't even have time to complete a full save.
It was all too late.
The ball rolled into the top corner of the goal, violently hitting the net.
The entire Butarque Stadium instantly erupted in deafening cheers.
"GOOAL!"
The live commentator's voice changed pitch.
"An incredible long shot! Lu Chuan! This young Chinese player equalized the score with a world-class strike!"
Leganés's bench completely erupted.
Everyone jumped up, hugging and shouting.
His teammates on the field rushed towards Lu Chuan like madmen.
Luis Pereya was the first to arrive, embracing Lu Chuan tightly.
"Oh my god! That shot!"
Sergio also ran over, too excited to speak.
But Lu Chuan did not over-celebrate.
He gently pushed his teammates away and walked towards the center circle.
"The game isn't over yet!"
His voice was clearly audible amidst the clamor.
"We must continue to fight!"
His teammates looked at his calm expression, and their initial excitement gradually subsided.
This was the demeanor of a captain.
In the stands, Real Madrid fans looked at each other.
They couldn't believe what had just happened.
That young Chinese player actually managed such a stunning shot.
Real Madrid Castilla's coaching staff huddled on the sidelines.
The head coach's expression grew serious.
"We must pay close attention to this number 9."
The assistant coach quickly wrote something in his notebook.
The Real Madrid players on the field were also significantly impacted.
They had originally thought this match would be an easy victory.
But now, everything had changed.
The intense running made his lungs burn, but he forced himself to calm down, his gaze sweeping over the scoreboard, 1:1, not enough yet.
His chest heaved violently, but his eyes remained firm.
"[Guaranteed Long Shot Card used]"
"[Gained LP: 100]"
"[Composure attribute increased: +3]"
"[New task triggered: Complete a comeback in this match]"
Seeing the newly triggered task, a smile flashed in Lu Chuan's eyes. Good, this is what makes it challenging.
The game resumed.
Real Madrid Castilla clearly intensified their defense against Lu Chuan.
Whenever he got the ball, at least two players would immediately surround him.
But this also gave his other teammates more space.
In the seventy-eighth minute, Lu Chuan received the ball on the left wing.
Three Real Madrid players simultaneously converged on him.
He didn't choose to force a breakthrough but passed the ball to the unmarked Luis Pereya.
Luis took the shot directly after receiving the ball.
The ball went slightly wide of the goal.
"What a pity!"
The live commentator said regretfully.
"Lu Chuan's restraint effect is very obvious; he attracted most of Real Madrid's defensive attention."
The game entered its final ten minutes.
Both teams were looking for a winning opportunity.
Lu Chuan was heavily fatigued, but he still ran tirelessly on the field.
Every time he touched the ball, every run he made, it captivated the hearts of all the spectators.
In the eighty-fifth minute, Real Madrid got an excellent counter-attacking opportunity.
But Luis Pereya's crucial interception defused the crisis.
In the eighty-eighth minute, Lu Chuan again had a shooting opportunity at the edge of the penalty area.
But this time Real Madrid's defense was even tighter, and his shot was blocked.
The final whistle blew.
The score was settled at 1-1.
Leganés B Team drew with the powerful Real Madrid Castilla at home.
The players hugged each other, celebrating this hard-won draw.
For them, this was already a victory.
Lu Chuan walked towards the Real Madrid players, shaking hands with them one by one.
The opposing captain patted him on the shoulder.
"You played very well."
This was recognition from an opponent.
As he walked towards the player tunnel, Lu Chuan heard the applause from the fans in the stands.
The applause lasted for a very long time.
In the locker room, Chema Rico finally smiled.
"This is the football I want!"
He walked up to Lu Chuan and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.
"Your performance today deserves every compliment."
His teammates surrounded Lu Chuan, their faces filled with excitement and pride.
Joaquín also came over; although he didn't speak, the hostility in his eyes had vanished.
It was replaced by a complex admiration.
Lu Chuan sat in the corner of the locker room, quietly savoring the moment.
He knew this was just the beginning.
The real challenges were still ahead.
But at least for now, he had proven himself.
That world-class strike would become one of the most important milestones in his career.